I Will Always Love You
by Tina Dion
Summary: As a song plays at Gibbs' funeral the team looks on at the "father figure" that has always been there for them, and that will always love them. Started out as an assignment, mentions a father/son bond between Tony and Gibbs, and slight Tiva moment.


**I Will Always Love You**

**A/N- This is my first one shot in the NCIS fandom, if I made a mistake please forgive me. To my readers who are still here, reasons are below in a longer authors note. **

_**If I Should Stay**_

The church was filled, mourners held handkerchiefs and talked quietly among themselves it was fifteen minutes before the hearse would arrive and for a couple of people it gave them time to think back on things.

_**I Would Only Be In Your Way**_

_**So I'll go**_

_**But I know**_

_**I'll think of you Every Step Of**_

_**The Way**_

The bullpen was silent except for the three field agents who sat at their desks dreading what waited for them; Dinozzo glanced over at his boss's desk but could not feel the tear sliding down his cheek. The three field agents gave each other a half smile and stood in the elevator together, as they arrived in the morgue they spotted Abby who was crying nonstop as she glanced at the silver casket.

"This is a dream; please tell me this is a dream." Abby responded as she placed her hand on the casket.

Agent McGee wrapped his arm around Abby, and handed her a handkerchief which she took from him.

"It is time, for us to take Jethro's body now." Ducky responded showing the funeral home workers the exit to the loading dock. It was Gibbs wish to spend the eve of his funeral at the place he came to love NCIS. McGee, DiNozzo, and Palmer stood beside the remains of Gibbs along with three fellow NCIS members. The funeral home employees stated how the pallbearers should lift the casket and they did as they were told. As they walked outside Tony finally felt it was time to tell his boss what he meant to him.

"Boss," Tony began not usually the best with his emotions. "I can't believe you are gone, it isn't right not for the guy that gave one hundred and ten percent." DiNozzo stated.

Last Saturday the rain was falling hard and Gibbs had received a call for a case, on his way through the storm, the light turned green and Gibbs went through the intersection only to be t-boned by a truck whose owner was drunk. The impact threw Gibbs forwarded and he was not wearing his seatbelt, the impact of head against steering wheel and Gibbs being nearly thrown from the car created a brain hemorrhage and he could not be saved.

_**And I Will Always Love You**_

_**I Will Always Love You**_

_**You, **_

The casket was placed in the hearse, unknown to the team it was Gibb's personal request not to have a military funeral however, the team did ask for a flag to be placed on top. McGee and DiNozzo joined in the limousine and with a police escort arrived at the church. As the casket was brought in Marines, police officers, and fellow NCIS agents stood as his casket was brought in. Placed on the silver cart Tony and Tim moved away but not before touching the casket.

A eulogy was given for nearly forty-five minutes before Tony stood to give his speech.

_**Bittersweet Memories**_

_**That is all I'm taking With Me**_

_**So Goodbye**_

_**Please don't cry**_

_**We both know I'm not what you**_

_**You need**_

"I stand hear not as a senior agent, not as an employee for my boss, not even as a friend." Tony started, "I'm here today to mourn the loss of the man who was a father to me."

"Gibbs was the hardest boss I ever had, the only one I was afraid of for the head smacks, but he was the one I wanted to make proud." DiNozzo stated.

"Our team, every one of us had problems with our family, but it was Gibbs who helped us through them all and made an impact on us. He was the definition of what a father should be." Tony said slightly crying now.

"I will not stand up here and act like a fool, but I do know that he would wish us all that life treated us kind, and that we all had what we dream of, he would also wish us joy and happiness, but most importantly and Gibbs of all people should have had this, he would wish us love." Tony said before moving from the podium.

The funeral was to an extent short and sweat, the pallbearers lifted Gibbs's casket on their shoulders and waited for the closing song to begin. Tony allowed tears to fall as so did McGee, Ziva, Abby, and Ducky.

_**And I will always love you**_

_**I will always love you**_

_**I will always love you**_

As the song played and the team brought Gibbs casket to the hearse Tony knew it was true, Gibbs would be watching them for the rest of the time, and while he didn't voice it. Leroy Jethro Gibbs loved his team dearly.

The hearse slowly drove away and Tony took hold of Ziva's hand, with a kiss to her hand, he smiled and placed his hand on his wife's swollen abdomen that held their child.

"If it's a boy," Tony began.

"He will have some form of Gibb's name." Ziva stated and Tony just smiled as his wife leaned into his shoulder.

**I will always love you**

**Oh yes, I will always love you**

**Author's Note- This first began as a Creative Writing Assignment, my goal was to mourn a character in less than a thousand words. Needless to say, this was a hard assignment at first until I thought of NCIS because said character had to be from a real television show. The thoughts after Whitney Houston's death were prominent when I used the song, and after I saw the service and the removal of her body from the church with her song playing I rearranged this story to include that part. **

**I was a true fan of Whitney Houston, as known by some of my readers, who I will be very grateful if you review because I have been a horrible writer this past year or so. But during the summer of 2010, I lost a dear friend to an accidental death, Chris had a father who was in the Navy and he himself planned on joining the Navy along with his best friend. **

**What I am trying to say is, it is gut wrenching to see people depart way to soon. I know Whitney had troubles, but here is where my Christian faith comes in, never once did I say it was her fault I just prayed. Whitney's song "I Look To You," helped me through depression and my near suicide in August of 2011. I nearly ingested a bottle of painkillers, and was ready to die.**

**My father much like DiNozzo's and Ziva's does not want to be a part of my life, I was tired of being the person trying to make amends when in fact it was my father who should be apologizing to me. My father also raised a fist to me, even though diagnosed with Bi-Polar Syndrome, and having went through brain radiation for cancer he still went mad on me. After this event I moved out and into my grandmother's. **

**As a new reader you may be saying, why is she telling this, does she expect me to feel sorry, no I do not. But for my readers who stuck with me through thick and thin, I am telling them this so they know why I have been away for nearly two years now. **

**If you read this, then that is great, if you review I am honored. I just want my fellow readers to know I am trying to get back. I have really found stories I have enjoyed from NCIS, and Ziva and Tony were probably the first couple I ever "shipped" when I was around ten or eleven. I just fell in love with the show again, and it just made me happy. Right now, I am just writing bits and pieces in different fandoms, and have started a few ideas for original works. **

**This assignment and Whitney Houston's death kind of mixed in and created this. **

**She is not gone, she is just simply at home waiting on her friends and family.**

**To all of my readers before, if you read this. Thank You!**

**Sincerely**

**Tina a.k.a Erin.**


End file.
